Stories of ISF. Alexander Zehnder, president and CEO of Sanofi Italy

Early in his career, Alexander Zehnder joined Roche as a scientist and soon grew into various commercial and drug development roles with increasing responsibilities

06 October 2014 – primaonline.it

Since 1 October 2014 Alexander Zehnder has been president and CEO of Sanofi Italy. As written in the press release, the appointment took place in the meeting of the Board of Directors on 30 September.

In his role, Alexander Zehnder joins the Sanofi Group's European Leadership Team and reports directly to David Loew, senior vice president, commercial operations, Europe. His workplace is in Italy, in Milan.

Alexander Zehnder has over fifteen years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He joins Sanofi from Roche, where he served as President and CEO for Greece and Cyprus since February 2013. Prior to that, he was Global Head of a leading biotech cancer drug at Roche/Genentech in San Francisco, USA.

Early in his career, Alexander Zehnder joined Roche as a sales rep and soon grew into a variety of commercial and drug development roles with increasing responsibilities at the branch level and headquarters in Switzerland, including but not limited to roles as Business Unit Manager for Hepatology in Spain and Lifecycle Leader for Hepatitis at Chugai Pharmaceuticals (subsidiary of the Roche Group), in Japan.

“I am sure that Alexander, with his international experience, in different commercial and market contexts, will be able to lead Italy towards years of success,” said David Loew. “His sensitivity as a physician, coupled with his business management expertise, will make an important contribution to addressing the needs of patients in both countries.”

Married with children, Alexander Zehnder holds a medical degree from the Medical School of Bern, Switzerland, and a Master of Business Administration from the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne.

Alexander Zehnder succeeds Arturo Zanni, who assumes the role of Vice President of Central and Eastern Europe within the Sanofi Group.

From 1 October 2014, the company name of the Italian branch of the Sanofi Group also changed, from Sanofi-aventis SpA to Sanofi SpA The Board of Directors of Sanofi SpA is now composed of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alexander Zehnder, and the Directors Laura Bruno, Human Resources Director of Sanofi Italy, David Loew, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Europe of the Sanofi Group, Donatella Musazzi, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director of Sanofi Italy, Giuliano Redaelli, Finance Director of Sanofi Italy.